PRESENTATION:
“Down Under Trip”
5 years ago, I decided to apply for the working holiday visa to live in Australia for one year. My plan was
to work and to travel for some months.
Why Australia? The decision was not that hard, I received an invitation from my cousin who married
there. So, I thought about my work in Paris and I thought about new adventure in Australia…. I gave my
resignation and bought a flight…
In February 2011, I crossed half of the earth to go to the other side of the world to Melbourne.
Melbourne is a city cosmopolite, very nice for food, café and of course for meeting nice people.
After the magic wedding on the beach with family, I found a job very quickly in a nice coffee shop. I
worked with 7 people: 2 from UK one from NZ, 3 from Australia, 1 from South Africa 1 from America and
of course Ireland….. No Scottish ! Thanks ! But the best accent was of course mine… The EngFrench do
you know it?
Working in a restaurant is a good idea because I managed to save some money by eating all the spare
food in the restaurant. After 7 months I was fed up to eat sandwiches with pumpkin but it was worth it. I
managed to save enough dollars to start travelling.
When I travel I don’t like to make plans. I like improvisation. I trust life and my intuition…
After 2 weeks in Australia I met Ophelie, a nice girl from Reunion Island.
She came in Australia in order to work as an architect. Unfortunately it is very hard to find a job like this
when you are foreigner. She gave up and planned to be back to her country.
Unfortunately for her (Or fortunately ;) I felt straight that we will match to travel together. She was very
patient, calm and organized; I was impulsive and messy. I felt straight away the good match. I could not
let her go. With my skill of convincing people I managed to change her plans and she stayed to go in the
adventure with me.
MELBOURNE AND AROUND
First we did many jobs to get the more money we could.
I gave sometimes French lessons, I worked on Festivals to sell crepes with Karim a French guy who was
living in Australia for more than 10 years. It was very nice to be able to work and eat nice crepe like we
do in France. And it was also nice to see people liking it.
We also visited a bit Melbourne and Around: you can discover nature with Wilson Prom for the beautiful
beaches. Grampians with beautiful forest. Great Ocean Road, a beautiful road on the top of cliffs and
waves.
After 4 months, we had with Ophelie enough money to start our trip and we decided to start with:
DARWIN
Darwin is the capital of the North Territory. We arrived in October at the end of the dry season. The
weather was really hot and of course dry.
We went there to visit 2 beautiful national parks: : Park National Litchfield and Kakadu.
Sometime it is great to travel in Australia by yourselves, rent a car and just go. But we were a bit scared
to drive with a huge 4X4 car so we decided to travel there with a group. I think was a good choose to
enjoy the places and it was also the occasion to meet with nice people from everywhere: Belgium,
Hollande, US, China,..
We first started our trip by visiting Park National Litchfield.
This park is about 1500m2 and famous for his huge forest of Flower and Swam, his Magnetic Termite
Mound, and his beautiful places to swan under water falls like in Florence water fall, Wangi, Tolmer Falls
et Buley Rockhole and Greenant Creek (one hour walk).
We next travelled to Kakadu National Park which is one of the largest park in Australia 20,000 square
Kilometers, known as a World Heritage Culture of the Aboriginal Culture.
In Ubirr, you will find Cave paintings have been present for nearly 20,000 years. You can also Watch the
crevasses carved in the rock by the ancestors of the Dream Time at Nourlangie Rock
In this park you will also meet with nature: you have many waterfalls like Twin Falls et Jim Jim Falls. I did
not have the occasion to go there but I Swam under Gunlom Falls. You are swimming on the top of
Kakadu national park. It was magic.
I also went to meet with crocodiles on the Yellow Water. It was impressive. We went very close to them
and one of them showed us how tricky they are. It did not move with his mouth open for 5 minutes with
his mouth open… The time for us to get closer by boat. When we arrived near It started to close his
mouth and to swim to us…. It was impressive… and Scary! but great experience !
After this day of emotions we went to sleep under the starts. We played music, we sang next to the fire
and after we had the beautiful idea to explore the forest around by night. During the dry season in some
places you cannot meet with crocodiles due to the fact that the water is low. But you have many signs to
remind you to be careful.
Our trip in Northern territory ended. We decided to flight to Cairns to explore the East Coast. We
“brought” Debby with us a Holland girl we met during our trip. She was looking for some people to
travel with her. Was perfect.
THE EAST COAST
Cairns
First when we arrived in the city, I was surprised to see that we could not swam in the ocean.This is
quite frustrating because you have “water” everywhere but you can’t jump it. In order to survive of the
hot temperature they created artificial Lagoon, a king of free swimming pool to cool down. Nice solution
not to be burn by medusa or eaten by crocodile.
Cairns is famous for the great barrier reef that stretches than 2600km from Bundaberg and Cape York.
You can swim safe and enjoy all the magic of the place.
I advise you as well to take the plane to see all these colors from the top. You will meet with the famous
Heart Reef.
Next to Cairns, we went to Kuranda to see “Butterflies Sanctuary”. We saw a lot of beautiful colorful
Butterflies flying around you.
Whitsunday Islands
Another beautiful place on the East Coast: Whitsunday Island.
We took the boat from Airlie Beach to visit some of the 74 Islands. We saw the most famous one is
WhiteHaven Beach with white sand and 7 km of beaches with blue water.
Our next step was Fraser Island which is one of the biggest sand island in the world. The trees are
growing on the sand. You can see the famous boat Maheno on 75 miles beach. Swam in Champagne
Pools. We saw dolphin and whales jumping on the Ocean.
It is nice after visiting it to go to Hervey Bay to take a boat and to go closer to the Whales. It is very
impressive to see them swim under your boat.
Another spot for me which was unique: Blue Mountains National Park.
In Sydney, I met with a friend from France. He came on holidays and for me was nice to have an
appointment with a friend on the other side of the world.
Ophelia, Francois and I (Debby left us in Brisbane to go to New Zelande), went to visit Blue Mountains.
It Is a forest of Eucalyptus. The essences from the trees evaporate and create this color blue. We saw
the famous “three Sisters”. But, we prefer not to spend a lot of time there to walk in a place with less
people. We went two stations by train further to enjoy another view and another track. We were alone
and we went through a track not famous to enjoy more the view and the quiet of the nature.
TASMANIA
I went Back to Melbourne after our trip in New Zeland. The Visa of Ophelie ended so this time she had
to be back to her country. I decided to explore a bit more Australia and with my cousin and some friends
we went to Tasmania.
The capital Hobart:
We land in the Capital Hobart, nice city. What it is very interesting to see is the Tasmanian Museum and
Art Gallery. You will find crazy art and even unusual ideas like showing with the process of making a
pooh…. Yes, why not!!!
We next went to visit Port Arthur: This is where the convicts of crimes were deported from UK. I think
this is a place very sadistic. You were in prison and you had a beautiful view on the beach… One of the
prison was special because the prisoners did not have the right to talk. It was all the time silent. A way to
because crazy.
After this horrible place, we went to meet with the devil of Tasmania. You have many places where you
can see then. There are very cute.
Maria Island National Park:
Maria Island National Park is an island near Oxford known for his prison. I even heard you can rent a
room to sleep in Prison… Crazy….
Freycinet National Park (185 Km from Hobart)
We next went to see the Panoramic view of the Great Oyster Bay. This National park is a beautiful place
to see desert beaches… I did not think about my swim suit so I jump in the water with all my close on.
Was worth it but cost me a lot I felt the salt from the water on my skin all the time.
Stop in Launceston City:
Our next stop was to meet with Cradle Mountain National Park with the Lake St Clair national park
(165Km from Hobart) This is one of the most beautiful walk I did in Australia. You walk for hours along
beautiful lakes and the view at the end is magic.
Our trip to Tasmania ended. On the way back we enjoyed the landscape we could see from the car. Time
to be back to Melbourne.
I spent some time there and decide to explore the last part I did not see in Australia: the desert.
The desert
I was alone on the door of the desert, in Adelaide. My cousin could not go with me and I could not travel
alone. I could not as well pay for a tour which was too expensive for me so I decided to use internet. I
was lucky. I met with Joan who met with Pauline and Justina who were looking for travelling like me in
the desert. We met, we knew that we could travel together. The day after we rent a car and started our
trip.
We travelled in the desert in January: it was summer: It was around 50 degrees during the day and 30
degrees at night.
The desert in Australia is very flat but you can find a lot of beauty and surprise when travelling through:
canyon lakes, all sort of colors… you can also meet with animals like Dingos, dromadery…
Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
We started to enter in the desert. After 2 days of our trip we arrived in Ikara a park of 95,000 Hectares.
This is an unexpected places like a huge oasis on the middle of the desert.
There I understood how nature can be powerful:
Before arriving to Flinders Ranger we broke our tire. We lost 3 hours to fix it. We could not do the walk
we wanted and we arrived in Flinders Ranges later than expected so we had to drive a bit under the
dark. When Joan was driving he stopped the car and went out from it. Why? because there was a
wonderful sunset we could see. We just watched it in silent and we look at each other with the same
thought “ this is why we broke our tyres”.
The day after we went through Mary Peeks trail. This is around 6 hours walk just going up. I am a bit
ashamed but I have to admit that we started to climb with not enough water. On the top the view was
very beautiful we enjoyed it but with 50 degrees we had only half bottle left on us for 4 people. We
survived but please take more water than needed because for this time our lack of communication
almost cost us a lot. But we survive now this is just a memory.
Cooper Pedy (537 km)
On the middle of Australia, you can found this curious city named Cooper Peedy. Cooper Pedy means
hole of White man in aboriginal language.
This city exist thanks to this Rainbow rock which is Opal. Around 5000 km a lot of mine shaft are around.
A lot of people from everywhere Greek, Chinese… are willing to find Opal. They are working during years
to be able to find something. Everything they built they work on hope.
People are leaving under the rocks. You can find church shops everything under rocks.
Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon is a beautiful Canyon situated in Warrtaka national Park.
You have 3 famous walks:
Kings Creek Walk: short walk 2 km is not hard you are on the middle of the Canyon and many trees help
you not to be attack by the sun. You can do it during the afternoon.
Kings Canyon Rim Walk: 6 km. When we were there the entrance of the track closed at 9 am due to the
strong sun you could have on the top. You are walking on the top of the Canyon, you will have a
beautiful view and you will find a curious unexpected place named Eden’s garden where you could swim
and have a fresh break.
For the more motivated you can also walked through Giles Track: 22 km to join Kathleen Springs.
Uluru
300 km from Kings Canyon you will meet with Ayer rock which was one of the thing the most impressive
I saw. This is like a king of iceberg on the middle of the desert.
I can advise you to come early the morning to see the sun rise then to Walk for 3 hours around (10,6 km)
and wait the evening to see the sun set.
You will see all the beauty of this rock which is with a lot of secret place and many curious shapes. I
found that some of them were like animals. And I could feel the spirituality of some of the corner of this
rock which is part of the aboriginal culture.
For example: there was a part where it was written that the Aboriginal used to pray. Before seeing the
explanations I started whispering instinctively. It was obvious that it was a spiritual place and the energy
was there.
Please I just don’t advice you to walk on it. For aboriginal people this rock is where are all the spirits of
their ancestors. You walk on it, you walk on their spirit.
Kata Tjuta
At 25Km from Uluru you have another rock named Kata Tjuta (ou Monts Olgas)
You have the possibility to do two walks. In summer the longest one thought the Valley of the Winds is
closed due to the strong hot. We could not do it. I remember that we slept on the parking spot for 3
hours before to go to this rock. When we woke up, we walked through the smallest path (30 minutes)
named Walpa Gorge. I felt to be on a movie. The rock is so huge that you feel so small.
Our trip to the desert ended we had to come back to Adelaide. Joan drove for 2 days.
Conclusion the magic of travelling: People bring you further:
I just want to give you an example of the magic of traveling. You can be in one place and meet with a
person and this person will inspire you to go somewhere else later.
I met with Giulia from Italy in Cairns. When you travel, you become close to other people quicker. It was
likeI have been knowing her for ages. Last year Ophelie gave me appointment in Slovenia. We knew that
Giulia was near in Venise and we decided to visit her. 5 years later we are still in contact. Giulia also
came to Wroclaw and I am sure we will go one day to visit Ophelie.
In Tasmania, I met with Peter from Berlin. I visited him last year with Ophelie (again ;) in Berlin to enjoy
3 days in this beautiful city.
Joan and Pauline from the desert came to visit Krakow 2 months ago.
This is why travelling is magic. You create a story, your story. This story is who you are today. The people
you met are part of your life forever and sometimes will stay around you to open a new chapter.